If you’re wondering what is buccal fat removal, it’s a small operation that trims a bit of the fat pad deep in your lower cheek so the face looks a little slimmer. And yes, it’s considered permanent, because the part that’s removed doesn’t grow back. That doesn’t mean your cheeks stay exactly as they are forever, since your face keeps changing with age and weight.
According to Dr. Monisha Kapoor, aPlastic Surgeon in Saket, Delhi, “Many people come in wanting a slimmer face and assume this surgery will do it. It only removes a small pad of fat from the inside of the cheek, so it helps when the fullness comes from that pad, and not when it comes from bone, muscle or skin. I take out only a little, because what you remove can’t be put back, and faces lose volume naturally as the years go by.”
How Buccal Fat Removal Works, in Plain Terms
- Where it works: there’s a pad of fat tucked deep in the lower cheek, between the chewing muscles, and the surgeon takes out a portion of it.
- How it’s done: usually through a small cut inside the mouth, so there’s no visible scar on the face. It’s often done with the cheek numbed and you awake.
- Who it suits: people whose lower cheeks are full because of that pad. If the fullness comes from bone, muscle or fat under the skin, it won’t help much.
- What it won’t do: it won’t sharpen your jawline or narrow a wide face. All it slims is the lower cheek.
Slimming the face can mean different things depending on what’s causing the fullness, and ourFace Thinning page explains the approaches a surgeon considers.
How Long Do Results Last? What to Know About Buccal Fat Removal
- In one sense, yes. The fat that’s taken out doesn’t regrow, so the slimmer contour stays.
- But your face keeps ageing. Fat in the face thins out over the years anyway, so if a lot was removed, you may look gaunt or older down the line.
- Your weight still counts. If you put on weight, other fat in the face can fill out again, even though the removed pad stays gone.
- There are risks to know about. Early swelling and bruising are normal, while infection, bleeding, uneven cheeks or injury to a nerve or the saliva duct are rarer. Taking out too much can’t be undone.
If cheeks ever end up looking too hollow, volume can be added back, and ourCheeks page explains how cheek contouring works.
What Decides Whether Buccal Fat Removal Is Right for You?
- Where your fullness comes from. It has to be the buccal fat pad, not bone, muscle or skin.
- Your age. Cheeks that look full at 25 won’t look the same at 50, so the surgeon has to think years ahead.
- Whether your weight is steady. Cheeks can look different once body weight changes.
- What you’re hoping for. This gives a subtle slimming, not a new face shape.
- Your general health, and whether you’re really okay with something you can’t undo.
Key Takeaways
- Buccal fat removal trims a little of the cheek fat pad to slim the lower face.
- Is buccal fat removal permanent? The fat that’s removed stays gone, but your face still changes as you age or when your weight shifts.
- It works when the fullness is from the pad itself. Bone, muscle or skin won’t change.
- Too much removed can leave the face hollow and make it look older, which is why only a small amount is taken.
- Get examined before you decide anything.
FAQs
Does buccal fat grow back after removal?
No, the part of the fat pad that is removed doesn’t regrow. Your face can still change with weight gain or loss and with age, so the cheeks won’t stay exactly the same for ever.
Is buccal fat removal safe?
It’s usually a short procedure, and in published reviews most complications were minor, such as swelling and bruising. Things like infection, bleeding, uneven cheeks or damage to a nerve or the saliva duct are rarer, which is why the surgeon’s skill and picking the right patient matter so much.
How long does recovery take after buccal fat removal?
Your cheeks will be swollen for a couple of weeks, and most people stick to soft food for the first few days. Keep the inside of your mouth clean the way your surgeon tells you, and the shape carries on settling over the next few weeks.
Can buccal fat removal make you look older?
It can if too much is removed or if it’s done on a face that’s already slim. Faces lose fat as the years pass anyway, so surgeons take out only a little and look at your face shape and age before deciding.
- ReferencesBuccal Fat Pad Excision for Facial Aesthetics, systematic review, PubMed Central:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8254881/The Role of the Buccal Fat Pad in Facial Aesthetic Surgery, PubMed: